ESPN.com: Jets Biggest Need is Leadership

[jxc]

[url]http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/39155/jets-biggest-need-is-leadership[/url]

The New York Jets will search for a new wide receiver, a new right tackle, a new safety (or two) and probably more pass-rushers.

But where will the Jets find leadership in 2012? That is the most difficult question facing New York this offseason.

The Jets' implosion last season was well-documented. New York was 8-5 with the playoffs in sight. But poor performance on the field, combined with combustible personalities and a lack of leadership, led to a three-game losing streak and an even uglier fallout.

By the end of the season, there was a wide rift between Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez and leading receiver Santonio Holmes. There also was tension between New York's 25th-ranked offense and its fifth-ranked defense, because the offense wasn't pulling its weight. Jets backup quarterback Greg McElroy said it was the most selfish and divided locker room he'd ever seen.

The Jets will continue adding talent to their roster via the draft and free agency. But how will they fix their poor chemistry?

You cannot just draft leadership or buy it in free agency. There's also no instruction manual to get 53 professional athletes back on the same page. But the Jets must find a way to make it work next season if they want to get back to being contenders.

"I do believe in the fabric of our team and the backbone," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said at the NFL combine. [B]"The D'Brickashaw (Fergusons), the (Nick) Mangolds, the (Darrelle) Revises, we have a lot of good players that care deeply about our team. All we can try to do is add to that."[/B]

New York has playoff-caliber talent but 4-12-caliber leadership. Perhaps that is why the Jets finished 8-8 in 2011.

Here are some candidates who must step up for New York next season:

Jets Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL. But he's never been the type to grab a person by the collar and keep everyone else in line. Revis leads by example. He will work harder than anyone else, and most of the time he plays better than anyone else. Revis is rapidly putting together a Hall of Fame résumé on the field. For most teams, that is enough. But the Jets need more vocal and forceful leadership from their best player, who is 26 and in his prime. When Revis speaks, people will listen.

Leadership in the NFL must always come from the quarterback position. It's time for Sanchez, who is entering his fourth season, to grow up on the field and in the locker room and meeting rooms. Sanchez had it rough coming to the big stage of New York as a starting quarterback from Day 1. He handled the pressure well in his first two years, when Sanchez could hide behind the "young quarterback" label and play a complementary role. But the Jets needed more leadership and better play from Sanchez last season. The late-season feud with Holmes was an example of Sanchez's lack of assertiveness. The quarterback doesn't always need to be the best player on the team. But he must be a natural leader who is able to inspire teammates and keep everyone focused.
In addition to the best corner in football, the Jets also have arguably the best center. Four-time Pro Bowler Nick Mangold is as tough as they come. He played on a bad ankle for long stretches last season and still performed at a high level. He also has the rugged persona to challenge teammates when they get out of line. But how much teamwide leadership can truly come from the center position? Jets left tackle and three-time Pro Bowler D’Brickashaw Ferguson also can help. The offense was in shambles last season, and these two players need to step forward.


Not all the blame falls on the players. Jets head coach Rex Ryan admitted he needs to do a better job of having the pulse of his locker room. Ryan didn't understand the level of dysfunction within his team until it was too late. Ryan said he plans to do more team-building exercises and events to improve chemistry.

"I don't see ... that we got completely off the track," Ryan said. "I think we kind of got in the gravel a little bit, we've just got to right it. And we can't knee-jerk reaction and we'll roll it the other way. So you know, there's ways of handling this type of thing. I think our football team is a little closer than people give us credit for. But again, I'm excited about the challenge."

The Jets are at a crossroads. Is 2012 the time to rebuild or simply tweak?

One year ago, New York played in its second straight AFC Championship Game. But the team finished without a winning record this past season for the first time under Ryan. New York also is expected to lose veterans such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Plaxico Burress, Jim Leonhard and potentially Bart Scott, who was recently given permission to seek a trade. The Jets will replace the talent, but it will be harder to replace the lost leadership.

The Jets better get their act together soon, because the AFC East will be very competitive next season. The New England Patriots were just a touchdown short of winning the Super Bowl, and the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are expected to improve.

There is also the looming prospect of Miami's landing future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who is expected to be released this month by the Indianapolis Colts. That would leave most football observers picking the Jets to finish third in the division, especially if they can't resolve their internal issues.

[MDL_JET]

[QUOTE]The Jets better get their act together soon, because the AFC East will be very competitive next season. The New England Patriots were just a touchdown short of winning the Super Bowl, [B]and the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are expected to improve.[/B][/QUOTE]

lol expected to improve, yes and so is the rest of the league. watch out!!

[Traitor Jay & the Woodies]

These inane articles are what drive me away from this site in the off season.

Leadership can't sack the quarterback or make better passes.

[sameoldjets]

the jets have always lacked really good on field leadership. as the article says, it should come from the qb position. name one jet qb since namath to really hold the attenetion of the rest of the team? maybe vinny. maybe chad. obrien? nope. todd? nope. odonnell? nope. boomer? maybe but he was washed up. sanchez is like a lap dog and when he's put with borderline criminals like holmes and plax he gets eaten up.

[DDNYjets]

LOL.

I think this blogger has been trolling JI. All of this has been discussed here ad nauseam.

[QUOTE]The Jets are at a crossroads. Is 2012 the time to rebuild or simply tweak?[/QUOTE]

So 45 days ago. Someone needs to upgrade to LTE.

[QUOTE]"I do believe in the fabric of our team and the backbone," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said at the NFL combine. "The D'Brickashaw (Fergusons), the (Nick) Mangolds, the (Darrelle) Revises, we have a lot of good players that care deeply about our team. All we can try to do is add to that."[/QUOTE]

As far as Revis goes, that is pure lip service on Tranny's behalf. Brick should be rooming with Sparano as of yesterday and Mangold better come to camp in good shape. He has ballooned in recent years. He is no longer the top Center in football. Time to regain the honor.

Brick is the strong silent type, can't expect him to be a leader. And Mangold's TV appearances do not qualify him to be a leader. It is not automatic b.c the guy talks to the media that he can be a leader. His interviews are often light-hearted and without substance. Not a knock on him, a team needs someone to break the tension. But that is not a leader.

IMO the only guy qualified to be a leader of this team is Sanchez. :eek: Time for him to take the reins no matter what the f*ck is going on. If he doesn't believe himself to be a leader then he better fake it.

[Maury77]

Perhaps not naming Santonio captain would help in the leadership department.

[PatsFanTX]

[QUOTE=Maury77;4381563]Perhaps not naming Santonio captain would help in the leadership department.[/QUOTE]

Yea, great move by Rex.

[Sports]

[IMG]http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy165/suwonsports/tuna.jpg[/IMG]

[section314]

Can't really fault the basis of the article. Leadership was a problem, but think it is pretty obvious who has to step up and become the leader of this team. Sanchez has to grab the team by the throat and be what the position demands. This is his 4th year, has started from day one(which might be part of the leadership issue, never really earned the position) and has been through the wars with this core group of players. It's time for him to grow up, lose the aloof attitude, and become the guy that these players will run through the wall for. Name me any good team that doesn't have a Qb who is the unquestioned leader of his team?

[GMCJETS]

The NYJETS havent a leader on the field since Bryan Cox left. Do you think Brandon Jacobs would have gotten away with talking to Rex like he did if Cox was still on this team? The answer is HELL NO.

[sec.101row23]

[QUOTE=Traitor Jay & the Woodies;4381479]These inane articles are what drive me away from this site in the off season.

Leadership can't sack the quarterback or make better passes.[/QUOTE]

I agree. The whole leadership and chemistry thing is a little over rated. Did it help that Santonio was the way he was? Probably not, but it wasn't the reason the Jets finished the way they did. The lack of chemistry and leadership argument is just a smokescreen to cover up the fact that the Jets lacked talent in some positions and that was the reason they failed to make the playoffs. When teams are winning there is always good chemistry and leadership, when a team loses, the chemistry and leadership become a nice excuse.

Bottom line, the Jets need to acquire better talent.

[jetsfan1983]

The leadership thing is so overrated...

That won't happen again on offense with Sparano in charge...

[JStokes]

Plenty of leadership when you're winning and going to the playoffs.

Losing unveils everyone's a-hole side.

How about we protect OUR QB and sack THEIR QB?

Then everyone will be happy and there will be plenty of leaders.

Chicken and the egg in sports--alway was and always will be.

Leaders don't bring winning.

Winning brings leaders/happiness/comaraderie/unity.

We go 11-5 or 12-4 next year, no one's going to be writing articles about a lack of leadership.

Leaders don't make stiffs better, make them sack the QB, make them protect your QB.

Santonio didn't become a d-bag overnight--he was just fine and dandy in 2010.

Don't tell me the loss of T-Rich turned him into a d-bag.

_

[ryan10]

[QUOTE=jxc;4381473][url]http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/39155/jets-biggest-need-is-leadership[/url]

The New York Jets will search for a new wide receiver, a new right tackle, a new safety (or two) and probably more pass-rushers.

But where will the Jets find leadership in 2012? That is the most difficult question facing New York this offseason.

The Jets' implosion last season was well-documented. New York was 8-5 with the playoffs in sight. But poor performance on the field, combined with combustible personalities and a lack of leadership, led to a three-game losing streak and an even uglier fallout.

By the end of the season, there was a wide rift between Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez and leading receiver Santonio Holmes. There also was tension between New York's 25th-ranked offense and its fifth-ranked defense, because the offense wasn't pulling its weight. Jets backup quarterback Greg McElroy said it was the most selfish and divided locker room he'd ever seen.

The Jets will continue adding talent to their roster via the draft and free agency. But how will they fix their poor chemistry?

You cannot just draft leadership or buy it in free agency. There's also no instruction manual to get 53 professional athletes back on the same page. But the Jets must find a way to make it work next season if they want to get back to being contenders.

"I do believe in the fabric of our team and the backbone," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said at the NFL combine. [B]"The D'Brickashaw (Fergusons), the (Nick) Mangolds, the (Darrelle) Revises, we have a lot of good players that care deeply about our team. All we can try to do is add to that."[/B]

New York has playoff-caliber talent but 4-12-caliber leadership. Perhaps that is why the Jets finished 8-8 in 2011.

Here are some candidates who must step up for New York next season:

Jets Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL. But he's never been the type to grab a person by the collar and keep everyone else in line. Revis leads by example. He will work harder than anyone else, and most of the time he plays better than anyone else. Revis is rapidly putting together a Hall of Fame résumé on the field. For most teams, that is enough. But the Jets need more vocal and forceful leadership from their best player, who is 26 and in his prime. When Revis speaks, people will listen.

Leadership in the NFL must always come from the quarterback position. It's time for Sanchez, who is entering his fourth season, to grow up on the field and in the locker room and meeting rooms. Sanchez had it rough coming to the big stage of New York as a starting quarterback from Day 1. He handled the pressure well in his first two years, when Sanchez could hide behind the "young quarterback" label and play a complementary role. But the Jets needed more leadership and better play from Sanchez last season. The late-season feud with Holmes was an example of Sanchez's lack of assertiveness. The quarterback doesn't always need to be the best player on the team. But he must be a natural leader who is able to inspire teammates and keep everyone focused.
[B] In addition to the best corner in football, the Jets also have arguably the best center. Four-time Pro Bowler Nick Mangold is as tough as they come. He played on a bad ankle for long stretches last season and still performed at a high level. He also has the rugged persona to challenge teammates when they get out of line. But how much teamwide leadership can truly come from the center position? [/B]Jets left tackle and three-time Pro Bowler D’Brickashaw Ferguson also can help. The offense was in shambles last season, and these two players need to step forward.


Not all the blame falls on the players. Jets head coach Rex Ryan admitted he needs to do a better job of having the pulse of his locker room. Ryan didn't understand the level of dysfunction within his team until it was too late. Ryan said he plans to do more team-building exercises and events to improve chemistry.

"I don't see ... that we got completely off the track," Ryan said. "I think we kind of got in the gravel a little bit, we've just got to right it. And we can't knee-jerk reaction and we'll roll it the other way. So you know, there's ways of handling this type of thing. I think our football team is a little closer than people give us credit for. But again, I'm excited about the challenge."

The Jets are at a crossroads. Is 2012 the time to rebuild or simply tweak?

One year ago, New York played in its second straight AFC Championship Game. But the team finished without a winning record this past season for the first time under Ryan. New York also is expected to lose veterans such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Plaxico Burress, Jim Leonhard and potentially Bart Scott, who was recently given permission to seek a trade. The Jets will replace the talent, but it will be harder to replace the lost leadership.

The Jets better get their act together soon, because the AFC East will be very competitive next season. The New England Patriots were just a touchdown short of winning the Super Bowl, and the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are expected to improve.

There is also the looming prospect of Miami's landing future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who is expected to be released this month by the Indianapolis Colts. That would leave most football observers picking the Jets to finish third in the division, especially if they can't resolve their internal issues.[/QUOTE]


i stoped reading article after this quote..shows lack of knowledge on writers part!!! a center cant be a leader??

[ryan10]

[QUOTE=JStokes;4381729]Plenty of leadership when you're winning and going to the playoffs.

Losing unveils everyone's a-hole side.

How about we protect OUR QB and sack THEIR QB?

Then everyone will be happy and there will be plenty of leaders.

Chicken and the egg in sports--alway was and always will be.

Leaders don't bring winning.

Winning brings leaders/happiness/comaraderie/unity.

We go 11-5 or 12-4 next year, no one's going to be writing articles about a lack of leadership.

Leaders don't make stiffs better, make them sack the QB, make them protect your QB.

Santonio didn't become a d-bag overnight--he was just fine and dandy in 2010.

Don't tell me the loss of T-Rich turned him into a d-bag.

_[/QUOTE]

+1

[PMarsico9]

Terrible article. I hate hearing about how "we need this type of guy," or "we need leadership" is going to change a damned thing.

These guys get paid assloads of money to be professional and bust their ass and risk their health. The coaching staff gets paid assloads of money to make sure that happens.

This is a load of crap. The Jets need talent in lacking spots and the GM needs to do his damned job and get some.

[John_0515]

[QUOTE=PMarsico9;4382150]Terrible article. I hate hearing about how "we need this type of guy," or "we need leadership" is going to change a damned thing.

These guys get paid assloads of money to be professional and bust their ass and risk their health. The coaching staff gets paid assloads of money to make sure that happens.

This is a load of crap. The Jets need talent in lacking spots and the GM needs to do his damned job and get some.[/QUOTE]

Hines Ward would contribute more than Vincent Jackson, according to this.

[PMarsico9]

[QUOTE=John_0515;4382153]Hines Ward would contribute more than Vincent Jackson, according to this.[/QUOTE]

Can you clarify? That's the exact opposite of what I'm saying.

[Beerfish]

This team was supposed to have all sorts of leadership. Mangold, revies, harris, scott, the QB.

If we had proper leadership the oline would have had holes drinking through a friggin straw by years end.

[sg3]

congratulations espn.com for managing to actually come up with a writer who knows even less about the Jets than Dick Semen-i, the previous recordholder